Here’s a not-so-secret truth about fantasy football: Managers are notoriously wary of aging veterans on draft day.
That appears to be what’s happening to reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams.
Despite leading the league in both passing yards (4,707) and passing touchdowns (46) on the way to a second-place finish in fantasy points, the 38-year-old is barely ranked inside the top 15 at the position in ADP.
As Richard Janvrin of Fantasy Pros noted, that low valuation is puzzling:
“Stafford finished as the QB2 last season, but his ADP is down to QB15. I understand he’s older, but he hasn’t really shown any signs of slowing down. Sure, I would’ve liked to see the Rams add another wide receiver rather than a quarterback at No. 13 overall in the draft. However, Stafford still has Davante Adams and Puka Nacua at his disposal, along with several tight ends, including second-round pick Max Klare out of Ohio State. Last season, Stafford was third in pass attempts and tied for second among all quarterbacks with at least 300 dropbacks in average depth of target (aDOT) at 9.5 yards.”
Yes, Stafford isn’t getting any younger, but he knows Sean McVay’s offense like the back of his hand. Nacua and Adams are one of the best one-two punches at wideout in the league, and the QB has a pair of top-five fantasy finishes over the past five years.
If you’re the type who likes to wait as long as possible to draft a starting quarterback, Stafford should be a prime target—elite fantasy upside with a QB2 price tag.