Salary Cap Leagues, Should You Target a Value QB?

Photo: Kirby Lee, USA Today Sports

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Last year quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Dak Prescott were thought to be mid-tier values at quarterback but performed poorly.

Is there still value to be found after the top seven (Patrick Mahomes II, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, and Justin Fields) with guys like Trevor Lawrence, Deshaun Watson, Daniel Jones, Kirk Cousins, and Geno Smith?

Or is this becoming more like the running back dead zone that we want to avoid?

Our staff answers these questions to help you decide which direction to take.

Note: All answers assume the following criteria:

• Start 1 QB
• 4-point passing TDs
• $200 cap
• 12 teams

Related: Should You Pay Up for an Elite QB?

Jeff Bell: Lawrence and Watson have the ceiling to land in the top tier. If that is the target, the goal is walking out with both or at least adding Anthony Richardson and one of the others. Given the current values on Footballguys, spending $8 to combine Lawrence and Watson lets you double your chances of one delivering and playing favorable matchups if both do for less than QB8. A wide tier encompassing Jones, Cousins, Smith, Tua Tagovailoa, Dak Prescott, Jared Goff, Aaron Rodgers, and Russell Wilson would be $1 bids on my board. The wildcard is Kyler Murray. Sharper leagues have been more willing to stomach that risk, but a salary cap format with a strong QB1 option is the perfect place to slide him through as a player who can accumulate value.

Dan Hindery: There is value in this mid-tier. Trevor Lawrence stands out the most. He made the leap to superstardom down the stretch last season, and there is a chance that the addition of Calvin Ridley takes this offense to the next level.