After months of pouring over cheat sheets, rankings, potential breakouts, busts and sleepers, real life NFL football is finally back. If you’re interested in this article, I’m sure that you came away from your draft knowing that quarterback is a position of perceived weakness for your team. However, there are a handful of quarterbacks that you can snag off the waiver wire every week that have the potential to put up the top-12 numbers that you desperately need.
A full slate of games means a full slate of streaming quarterback options. Maybe you had Aaron Rodgers and were wary of him facing the Bears defense on Thursday Night. Or maybe you drafted a quarterback late and picking up a streaming quarterback for Week 1 was your plan all along. Here are the best Week 1 fantasy QB streamers.
To be in consideration, they must be owned in less than 60 percent of ESPN leagues. No Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson here – sorry folks.
CLICK HERE for Week 1 Fantasy Rankings!
Jameis Winston vs SF (54.3%)
Winston is as volatile of a quarterback as they come, but he should get off to a strong start under head coach Bruce Arians this week. Bovada Sportsbook has this pegged as the second highest over/under of the week (behind only Texans at Saints), which means the points will be flowing. In five home starts last season, Winston averaged just under 300 yards in the air, another 40 yards on the ground and two passing touchdowns per game. The 49ers secondary is a point of weakness on their roster, outside of Richard Sherman, so wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, along with tight end OJ Howard, should have plus matchups to feast on all game. Winston could take advantage and end the week as a top five quarterback.
Jimmy Garoppolo at TB (28.7%)
Notice a trend here? While it makes sense to be wary of a quarterback making his first start off an injury, I trust Garoppolo to put up solid numbers against a weak Buccaneers secondary. Under head coach Kyle Shanahan, both CJ Beathard and Nick Mullens were viable quarterback streamers last season. Garoppolo is significantly more talented than both of those quarterbacks and has had full offseason to recover from his ACL injury. With talented weapons on the outside, like Dante Pettis and Marquise Goodwin, to go with George Kittle, Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida, Garoppolo could be in line for a big day against Tampa.
Matthew Stafford at ARI (16.3%)
Last season when the Lions went to Arizona, Stafford had arguably his worst start of the season. However, I think things go differently this year. The Cardinals star cornerback Patrick Peterson is suspended for the first six weeks, and looking at their depth chart it seems like *squints* Tramaine Brock and Byron Murphy will be tasked with shutting down Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones. Stafford looked sharp in his one preseason start and the Lions will need to score points to keep up with Kliff Kingsbury’s air raid offense. If you’re desperate at quarterback, Stafford is a solid option for Week 1.
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