When to drop your backup QB? (1 Viewer)

[solorca]

In years past, the common thought was to drop your backup QB after your main starters bye week. Is that still the thought, given the skyrocketing value of QB's? Personally, I have Romo and Sanchez and I am considering dropping Sanchez for a bye week fill-in, but I know that he would immediately be grabbed by someone in my league. The fact that Alex Smith is the only starting QB in our league who is not on a team (including new starters for this week) may make my situation a little different than most though.

So, what are the thoughts? Do you drop if you have a need only, or is there no real point to keep a backup on your team?

 

[footballnerd]

Unless its a backup QB worth starting (Tebow), I ride the edge with 1 QB (except for fragiles like Stafford, Shaub). Roster spots are valuable.

 

[Captain Hook]

What are you going to do IF you reach the playoffs?

What if Romo has an injury then? First are waivers even still open and if they are WHAT would you expect to be available?

Yes, roster spots are valuable but you should keep your Sanchez (and hope you never have to play him but glad you have someone to play if necessary)

 

[Stewy]

Skyrocketing value of QB's? I guess I'm experiencing something different than you.

I have Rivers in a dynasty league and can't even get a nibble on him.

 

[Bluesbomber]

IMO opinion QB's are always very susceptible to risk and injury and not having a suitable backup would not be a position I would want to be in. Consider your starter goes down and you play someone for the final playoff spot who is ahead of you on waiver priority. Might that person pick up Alex Smith or the best qb alternative to block you from getting him. I am in an eight team league with many qb options but I still am holding on to Big Ben as a backup.

 

[solorca]

What are you going to do IF you reach the playoffs?What if Romo has an injury then? First are waivers even still open and if they are WHAT would you expect to be available?Yes, roster spots are valuable but you should keep your Sanchez (and hope you never have to play him but glad you have someone to play if necessary)

You make a good point. I guess my backup plan was to just grab Kitna when I had the chance as we get late in the year, or pick someone up when I tighten my roster as the playoffs get close.I am seeing Maurice Morris sitting on the waiver wire, while not knowing the status of Jahvid Best...and having the only position on my team that I can't envision using unless it's a worst case scenario as Sanchez.

 

[footballnerd]

What are you going to do IF you reach the playoffs?What if Romo has an injury then? First are waivers even still open and if they are WHAT would you expect to be available?Yes, roster spots are valuable but you should keep your Sanchez (and hope you never have to play him but glad you have someone to play if necessary)

Well in my league we have a few Sanchez, A.Smith caliber players. He says the likes of Alex Smith are still on his waivers, that's not much of a downgrade from Sanchez, hes fine. Someone swoops Sanchez, just pick up Smith who has a nice schedule.

 

[netnalp]

With Romo, you could drop Sanchez and get your bye week fill in player and then drop the bye week filler when that week is done and pick up Kitna. It's unlikely that Kitna is on a roster and if Romo goes down and Kitna has to play, he will probably put up more points than Sanchez.

 

[solorca]

What are you going to do IF you reach the playoffs?What if Romo has an injury then? First are waivers even still open and if they are WHAT would you expect to be available?Yes, roster spots are valuable but you should keep your Sanchez (and hope you never have to play him but glad you have someone to play if necessary)

Well in my league we have a few Sanchez, A.Smith caliber players. He says the likes of Alex Smith are still on his waivers, that's not much of a downgrade from Sanchez, hes fine. Someone swoops Sanchez, just pick up Smith who has a nice schedule.

Well, it's just Smith. If I drop Sanchez, he and Smith will be the only two NFL starters on the wire (and both will probably be grabbed quickly..Smith was just dropped this morning). I don't know why, but our league has multiple teams with 3-4 QB's on their roster this season.

 

[jwb]

What are you going to do IF you reach the playoffs?What if Romo has an injury then? First are waivers even still open and if they are WHAT would you expect to be available?Yes, roster spots are valuable but you should keep your Sanchez (and hope you never have to play him but glad you have someone to play if necessary)

Well in my league we have a few Sanchez, A.Smith caliber players. He says the likes of Alex Smith are still on his waivers, that's not much of a downgrade from Sanchez, hes fine. Someone swoops Sanchez, just pick up Smith who has a nice schedule.

Well, it's just Smith. If I drop Sanchez, he and Smith will be the only two NFL starters on the wire (and both will probably be grabbed quickly..Smith was just dropped this morning). I don't know why, but our league has multiple teams with 3-4 QB's on their roster this season.

In that type of league, if Romo gets hurt, your season is probably over unless you make a trade... is there a trade deadline? Going w/o a backup is too risky, imho.

 

[footballnerd]

In that type of league, if Romo gets hurt, your season is probably over unless you make a trade... is there a trade deadline? Going w/o a backup is too risky, imho.

okay I agree with you guys on this now, man, thats pretty rough. keep your backup.Although the Kitna idea isn't bad depending on how well you feel he will perform. In a league with Stafford, I'm fairly confident in Shaun Hill to back me up.

 

[DoubleG]

This is what I love about my main league. It's a dynasty league with the following starting lineup reqs:

1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE & 1 K (no defenses)

The beauty? We HAVE to have one rostered backup for each starting slot + 5 "open slots" (so everyone has to have 2 QB, 4 RBs, 6 WRs, 2 TE and 2 K on their roster at all times - the other 5 slots can be any position) The only time these "minimums" don't exsist is prior to the draft, everyone cuts the 5 "open slots" (so down to 16 players total) - but you could cut more if you wanted.

The reason I like this, is manyfold:

1) It stops teams from stockpiling at a certain position (which keeps the playing field more level)

2) It makes for some agonzing choices

3) It makes sure that there isn't a glut of decent players on the WW of any one position(which encourages trading - this is kinda of the inverse of point 1)

4) It's realistic (not too many NFL teams go into games without a backup QB)

 

[Sweet Love]

I think you just have to look closely at your WW and make sure you are covered...in this instant, you are not, but I can tell you in my 12 team PPR with deep rosters, the following are available:

Fitzpatrick (ww)...I will most likely grab him to back up my Stafford

Sanchez

Dalton

Ponder

Gabbert

Painter

Cassel

Jackson/Whitehurst

Beck

While I am not enamored with all of those choices, I can't see a time in the next week or so that Painter, Fitz, Sanchez and Dalton are all gone, and I would feel "OK" going with those guy (great with Fitz). Personally, I ditched Kolb for Jacoby Jones a couple of weeks back, and I am still fine with that choice (even if Jones won't likely see the light of day on my team).

 

[Johnny Blood]

In years past, the common thought was to drop your backup QB after your main starters bye week. Is that still the thought, given the skyrocketing value of QB's?

Why do you think it is a given that the value of QBs has skyrocketed? I don't think that's a given. They're all scoring more points, therefore their value has declined.I'm dropping my backup after Eli's bye week. Now, if multiple teams are holding 3-4 QBs, that would factor in to my decision. If Eli gets hurt I can roll with a WW scrub.

 

[DeeJayK]

I've got a similar question: I've got Tom Brady and picked up Tim Tebow (who I'm hoping to trade after Brady's bye this week). If I find a deal for Tebow what's my best course of action:

[*]Pick up a guy like Colt McCoy

[*]Pick up Brian Hoyer

[*]Go commando with just Brady

I've got a fairly deep bench so the roster spot I save would probably just go to some lottery-ticket-type guy like Bilal Powell, so I'm not all that inclined to live without a net.

 

[Flying Elvis]

Totally depends on the league format, roster size and the backup QB in question. In the one small roster (15) league I am in, the only QB on my roster since week one has been Rodgers. In another deeper league (18) I have held only Freeman b/c the wire didn't have much of value (I now have Ponder, too.) In a 3rd I have Rodgers and Newton. Obviously neither are going anywhere near the wire.

Holding a lousy QB "just in case" is pointless. If you're in a league where guys are holding that many QBs you should be stocked w/RBs and WRs worth trading. Do so if you need a QB. Otherwise, roll with one.

There's not much sense in holding the #12-14 QB rather than grabbing a RB who is likely taking over the spot of a top 20 RB.

The fact that the other lemmings are holding too many QBs doesn't mean you should.

As for Brady v. Tebow in a deep roster league, I'd hold both for a week or two and see what the true value is on Tebow. He may be worth a whole lot more in trade than a lotto guy.

 

[jagbag]

I think you just have to look closely at your WW and make sure you are covered...in this instant, you are not, but I can tell you in my 12 team PPR with deep rosters, the following are available:Fitzpatrick (ww)...I will most likely grab him to back up my StaffordSanchezDaltonPonderGabbertPainterCasselJackson/WhitehurstBeckWhile I am not enamored with all of those choices, I can't see a time in the next week or so that Painter, Fitz, Sanchez and Dalton are all gone, and I would feel "OK" going with those guy (great with Fitz). Personally, I ditched Kolb for Jacoby Jones a couple of weeks back, and I am still fine with that choice (even if Jones won't likely see the light of day on my team).

 

[cubbie5150]

In my main redraft league, I am holding my backup (Tebow; Brady is my starter) all the way through. We play the championship game week 17 (yeah....I know....). Can't take the chance Brady sits in the final game, if I'm fortunate enough to make it that far. In any event, it's worth the roster spot to have some kind of viable insurance for that possibility. If I drop Tebow, he'll get scooped for sure

 

[Tickle Monster]

In a 16 team league, I drafted Romo and Fitz. Hanging on to both. Do not want to be screwed over come playoff time

 

[ponchsox]

Depends on the league roster and waiver requirements. In my league there is 1. a limit to waiver moves for the season and 2. waivers lock for the season in November. Therefore, it is essential to roster a backup and in some cases teams with a backup who lose their job might roster 3 QBs. The only instance I might not carry a backup is if I owned Brady or Rodgers and they were finished with bye weeks.

 

[FUBAR]

In years past, the common thought was to drop your backup QB after your main starters bye week. Is that still the thought, given the skyrocketing value of QB's?

Why do you think it is a given that the value of QBs has skyrocketed? I don't think that's a given. They're all scoring more points, therefore their value has declined.

I'm dropping my backup after Eli's bye week. Now, if multiple teams are holding 3-4 QBs, that would factor in to my decision. If Eli gets hurt I can roll with a WW scrub.

If you're forced to take a zero at QB, you're probably screwed.