Dynasty Fantasy Football Trading Post: QB1s Valued as QB2s

Russ Fisher

Whether you play in leagues with one quarterback, superflex, or two quarterbacks, it is very unlikely that you will be able to roster a top-tier quarterback. Technically, if you play in a 12-team, one-QB league then there is a chance that every team will have a quarterback that scores in the top 12 but the odds are not forever in your favor. The question that comes from this line of thinking is: is it worth paying up for a top one or two-tier QB or should you see who you can get for a little cheaper who still has the chance to produce like a top-tier player without the top-tier price tag? Usually these are players who have underproduced, have had downturns in their current situations, or just happen to be older than 27.

Here are the top 12 QBs in July DLF superflex ADP.

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In a superflex, one point per 20 yards, 4 point per touchdown league, here were the top 12 scorers last year.

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I have previously discussed Dak Prescott and unfortunately for Sam Howell, he is now on a new team and no longer the starter. We are going to look into the DLF Trade Finder and Trade Analyzer and look to see whether we feel it is worth it to go and trade for Jared Goff, Tua Tagovailoa, and Baker Mayfield and hope to get another top 12 season without top 12 costs.

Jared Goff, QB DET

Newly rejuvenated and newly paid, there are no more worries that Goff is a bridge to the QB of the future, he was a bridge to himself. While he has some issues with home and away splits, this season Goff will be playing most of his games this season in a dome. He will have a healthier Amon-Ra St. Brown and a second-year stud tight end in Sam LaPorta. There is absolutely no reason he cannot continue to produce as he did last year.

12 team, superflex, PPR, TE premium, start 10.

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This was a very common trade in the Trade Finder. A competing team giving up their first and a young player with upside for Goff. I would send my competing first plus a dart throw for a very solid quarterback all day in a superflex league. As we see above, Goff isn’t just solid, he has a nice ceiling too.

Tua Tagovailoa, QB MIA

I was always a fan of Tagovailoa. For a while, he was my QB1 in the 2020 draft class but after a while, we could no longer deny the talent and magnetism of Joe Burrow. Also with the mounting ankle and foot injuries, the community at large started to realize the ceiling of Tagovailoa was a little capped. Miami knew exactly how to handle the situation and that was to draft Jaylen Waddle and then bring in Tyreek Hill. The lefty QB might not have the QB1 upside but in the Dolphin’s offense, he seems to have a paved path to top-12 QB scoring.

10 team, superflex, PPR, start 9.

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I love everything about the Tagovailoa side of this trade. The QBs are the same age and have shown similar scoring abilities so why not get a first on top? The better part is that this is a team “tiering down” at QB and getting their 2025 first-round pick back. I put tiering down in quotes because I do not believe this is a tier down at all but this is what makes dynasty great. Different people value players differently and that is how we all get deals done.

There were a few one-for-one deals in the Trade Finder that I thought were interesting. Our lefty QB for Brock Bowers, Jonathan Taylor, and 2024 1.07. All three of those pieces are valued less than Tagovailoa in the Trade Analyzer, though Taylor is only 6.4 points below.

Baker Mayfield, QB TB

Mayfield had a very similar roller coaster ride as Goff. He was highly drafted in the NFL and then moved to another team before being able to show his true potential. Mayfield had a very strong rookie year with the Browns but failed to come close to repeating that fortune. The move to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers proved to be exactly the change of scenery that he needed. The former number one overall pick played a very solid season, relying on his very talented wide receivers to revive his fantasy relevance.

12 team, superflex, PPR, start 10.

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There were a few examples of sending 2025 firsts or very early 2024 second-round picks for Mayfield but the above trades are the ones I wanted to focus on. Deebo Samuel is the player closest here in value to our quarterback but I would still easily send him over to get my very solid QB2 on my superflex roster, the other two are a smash accept for the QB. This is my favorite type of trade in superflex leagues for what people consider lower-end starting quarterbacks. Chances are these wide receivers are the WR4s on your roster, with Samuel again being a bit of an exception. Trading depth pieces for a starter is almost always worth it. Points scored by your WR4 are much easier to replace than your QB2.

It is true that you don’t always need to start a quarterback in your superflex spot but it is usually safer and gives you a higher ceiling if you do. This doesn’t mean you need to spend up to get multiple elite or top-tier QBs to slide into those spots. Getting these players who might not have the sexiest names or the greatest career track records is the perfect low-grade move to push your fringe competing team into true contenders.

russ fisher