Fantasy Cheat Sheet: Quarterbacks to Take 

As there are only 43 days until the NFL is underway, that also means that fantasy football is in the air. The quarterback position can be the backbone of your team if you reach at the right time. Here are some quarterbacks you should (and shouldn’t) consider taking. 

After an MVP regular season in 2015, Cam Newton is without a doubt the best fantasy quarterback on the market. I believe there are multiple quarterbacks that’ll throw for more yards than Newton, but his real weapon is his feet. 

Newton has been able to rush for 500+ yards and 5+ touchdowns every season dating back to 2011, his rookie year. Posting just under 460 fantasy points this past season, Newton will more than likely see a slight decline. 

With that being said, I see Newton posting the most fantasy points once again, especially with wideout Kelvin Benjamin back in action. 

Many individuals are going to think that Kirk Cousins is a solid late-round pickup, but that’s not going to be the case. Cousins had a career year in 2015, posting 4,100+ passing yards as well as 29 touchdowns. 

How many games did Cousins throw for 2+ touchdowns though? Five. It should also be noted that three of those games came in weeks 15-17. 

Cousins is a quarterback that may be on a contract year, but does not have the capability in 2016 to post even as a top 12 option. You are much better off with an Andy Dalton or Eli Manning. 

Derek Carr may have slipped a little in the second half of 2015, but that didn’t stop him from finishing 6th in passing touchdowns in 2015 with 32. 

Upcoming opposing teams in 2016 had a .500 win percentage in 2015, and with a healthy Cooper and Crabtree, Carr has a lot of potential as a fantasy option. 

Not many will jump on the boat to take a younger stud over a proven veteran, but Derek Carr should be on just about everyone’s radar for 2016. 

Forget that fact that Odell Beckham Jr is a freak of nature, but remember that the guy throwing to him is a proven veteran. 

Like it or not, Eli Manning had great 2014 + 2015 season, posting a combined 75 touchdowns, as well as 8,846 passing yards. The Giants took Sterling Shepard in the NFL Draft, and he will more than likely fit in as an WR2 option for Manning (pending Victor Cruz’s health). 

While names like Aaron Rodgers and Philip Rivers may seem more attractive, remember that Manning actually finished with more fantasy points than both of them. 

The Bounce Back: Andrew Luck (Indianapolis Colts)

Names like Ben Roethlisberger, Tony Romo, or even Robert Griffin III could have made this list, but Andrew Luck is a name you need to do your research on. 

Over the past four years, Luck has ranked sixth in pass attempts per game, and third in rushing touchdowns. While many will think that Luck will struggle, I still believe he is a household name. 

Many don’t believe in taking a quarterback in the first four rounds, but for those who do, Luck is a name that will be taken in that range. 

Expect Luck to finish in the top 5 for quarterbacks when it comes to fantasy this season, assuming he is able to play all 16 regular season games.