This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Football series.
Welcome to the weekly FanDuel strategy piece. Over the season, we will cover a variety of topics - from tournament strategy to player ownership, and of course, matchups to exploit each and every week. The goal will be to prepare you with an array of tools to help build optimal lineups. This week we will continue our analysis of strategies for both tournaments and cash games, breaking down the differences between the two formats, and what specific players to target at each position. We will analyze each position in a FanDuel lineup one at a time, looking for specific players to target for both cash games and tournaments. Our focus this week will be on the quarterback position.
General Overview of Quarterbacks:
There are a variety of opinions on what type of quarterback to select each week for your lineup, with the primary difference being whether to "pay up" for an expensive quarterback, or to "pay down" for a cheaper but riskier option. This dilemma applies to both cash games and tournaments. In general, we need about 120 fantasy points to win in a cash game, and about 150 points to "cash" in a tournament (with at least 180 points needed to win a tournament). These point totals vary from week to week based on player performances, but are general targets to aim for when creating lineups. Since the salary cap on FanDuel is $60,000, we can break down what type of production is needed on a "points-per-dollar" basis. To reach the 120-point target for cash games, we need each player to score two fantasy points for every $1,000 worth of salary. Thus, we would need a $7,000 quarterback to score 14 fantasy points to reach value for a cash game.
To reach the 150-point plateau required to cash in tournaments, we need each player to score 2.5 fantasy points for every $1,000 worth of salary. Finally, to score 180 points and have a chance at winning a tournament, we need each player to score three fantasy points for every $1,000 worth of salary. This points-per-dollar method is an excellent way of determining value, and analyzing which players have the potential to reach value for both cash games and tournaments.
Cash Games:
In cash games we look for consistent players that have high floors. Paying up at quarterback is a wise option in cash games, but is not mandatory, since cheap quarterbacks will still score fantasy points even in a bad week. Looking at the points-per-dollar method, we need about two fantasy points for every $1,000 worth of salary to reach the 120-point mark required for cash games. Therefore, a quarterback priced at $9,000 needs to score 18 fantasy points to reach value, while a quarterback priced at $6,500 only needs to score 13 fantasy points to reach value. Which player is more likely to achieve his target score? There is no correct answer, as some people prefer selecting high-priced quarterbacks for cash games since they are more consistent and have a higher floor than an inexpensive quarterback. Others prefer paying down at quarterback, with the rationale being that an average or below=average quarterback can still score at least 10 fantasy points even if he has a bad game (200 passing yards + one passing touchdown = 12 fantasy points). Quarterbacks that are mobile are an excellent choice for cash games because they score a few additional points each week by running with the football, giving them a higher floor than a quarterback that doesn't accumulate rushing yards. Let's look at some quarterbacks that are consistent and have high floors, making them strong choices for cash games.
Tom Brady ($9,100)
Brady is as consistent as any quarterback in the NFL, having scored at least 22 fantasy points in every game this season prior to Week 9 when he scored 18.86 fantasy points in a blowout win. Brady controls the Patriots efficient offense, which rarely struggles to move the ball or put points on the board. He averages 25.8 fantasy points per game, and is nearly a lock to score 20 fantasy points in any given week (which is more than enough to reach value based on his salary), making him an excellent choice for cash games.
Carson Palmer ($8,000)
Palmer is another consistent quarterback option, averaging 21.4 fantasy points per game, with a floor of 16.98 (his lowest score of the season). Palmer has excellent weapons, and the Cardinals are a pass-heavy team with a sub-par running game. Palmer averages more than 2.5 fantasy points-per-dollar, making him a strong play in cash games most weeks (however, he faces the imposing Seahawks defense in Week 10).
Derek Carr ($7,500)
Carr is quietly having an impressive season in his second year with the Raiders, averaging 19.4 fantasy points per game (which includes Week 1 when he scored 3.24 fantasy points before getting injured). Since Week 1 Carr has scored at least 10.86 fantasy points each week, and has scored at least 23 fantasy points in each of his past three games. The Raiders' passing game is firing on all cylinders, while their running game is struggling, making Carr a very reliable fantasy producer and excellent cash game option.
Tournaments:
Similar to cash games, there are differing opinions on how much salary to allocate to the quarterback position for a tournament lineup. One strategy is to pay up for a stud quarterback, with the rationale being that a stud quarterback has more upside and is more likely to have a big game than a moderately priced quarterback. The other strategy is to pay down at quarterback, selecting a cheap quarterback that has a good matchup that given week, while using the excess salary on other positions. Both strategies are sound and can be successful. In a tournament, we need about 2.5 to three points-per-dollar from each player, so target quarterbacks whoo have the upside to score three times their salary. Look for quarterbacks that have 30-point upside, or cheaper quarterbacks that might explode that given week. Let's look at some quarterbacks who have high ceilings (upside), making them strong choices for tournaments.
Cam Newton ($8,200)
Newton is very inconsistent, but has the upside we look for in a tournament quarterback. Week 9 was a prime example of his upside, as Newton scored 34.58 fantasy points against the Green Bay Packers. Newton has now scored at least 28 fantasy points three times this season, which is a nice ceiling for a quarterback at his moderate price tag. Newton has scored five rushing touchdowns (worth 6 points each), which gives him the added bonus that most other quarterbacks don't have, making him an excellent choice for tournaments.
Eli Manning ($7,400)
Manning has been very inconsistent this season, averaging 18.5 fantasy points per game, with three games of 11 fantasy points or less. He does have the upside we look for in tournaments, however, having scored at least 29 fantasy points twice this year. Manning has some weapons in the passing game, primarily Odell Beckham Jr., who has the ability to explode in any given week. He also has a very affordable price tag, making him a nice value option at quarterback for tournaments with his high ceiling (38 fantasy points in Week 8).
Marcus Mariota ($7,300)
Mariota has been inconsistent during his rookie campaign, but he has flashed his immense talent on a few occasions. He has scored at least 20 fantasy points in three out of his six starts, and has passed for at least two touchdowns in four of those six starts. He has solid running ability, as evidenced by his 47 rushing yards against the Buffalo Bills, and he has a high ceiling, scoring 33 fantasy points in Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints. With a combination of rushing ability and talent, Mariota makes an interesting option in tournaments with his big play ability.
